Wreckage and destruction • 50 dead, power will return towards the weekend

Less than a day after Hurricane 'Sandy' attacked New York, the big apple as well as the United States as a whole are licking their wounds: At least 50 people have been killed so far on the east coast as a result of the storm. Many were killed after trees collapsed on them. Until last night millions of people on the East Coast - including ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Flatbush, Brooklyn, and Lakewood in New Jersey - were left with no electricity. New Jersey was declared a disaster zone."

New York reported 18 deaths. At least two of them drowned at home. One was killed when asleep and a tree collapsed on the house. A 23 year-old woman was killed after she got into a puddle which was near an electricity pole. A couple from Flatbush was killed after a tree collapsed on them.

"It was a devastating storm, perhaps the worst we have experienced here," Bloomberg said, and stressed that the reconstruction will take a long time. Many businesses still remain closed, but the Wall Street Stock Exchange operations will begin again this morning.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the city will initiate power cuts, in order to succeed and to provide all residents of the required services. According to estimates of the electricity company, electricity will return fully towards the end of the week.
The mayor also noted that the subway will probably not work for four or five days, and that the damage done is the largest in -108 years of existence.

All ten tunnels east of the Hudson River, are completely flooded and now there is a need to revalidate them.

New York Airports are expected to return to partial activity today, after 5000 flights were canceled in recent days. Kennedy Airport and Newark Airport in New Jersey reopen to traffic in the morning (New York time).

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!